J. Michael Bear (1938-1998)

Born James Byrnes in 1933, Michael was a Canadian Sioux and Laguna-Acoma Pueblo Indian who described himself as "raised more Pueblo than Plains" and based most of his work on Pueblo ceremonies and stories, particularly those of the Katsinas (spiritual beings who descended from the heavens to teach tribal religion and the essential survival skills of hunting, fishing, making tools and planting crops). His art is represented in all major Native American collections, both private and public. He won many awards and was featured in one-man shows at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, the Museum of the American Indian in New York, Chicago's Field Museum and the Museum of New Mexico in Santa Fe.

Michael lived in New Mexico most of his adult life.  He spent considerable time in Albuquerque, which is where we made his acquaintance.  He was well known to the Indian art community in Santa Fe and Albuquerque for his mixed-media drawings of sexually explicit depictions of Kiva initiation ceremonies of young men. He executed his drawings in pencil and highlighted parts with acrylic paints. Often, he wrote explanations of the events depicted on the backs of the paintings. His works are signed JBear.

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